No. 5 Tar Heels blast Longhorns

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Harrison Barnes hadn’t cracked double figures for two straight games while North Carolina’s performances ranged from flat to disinterested against overmatched opponents.

On Wednesday night, against a team that had beaten them the past two years, the fifth-ranked Tar Heels displayed the talented, fast-paced and — most importantly — focused form that everyone expected this season.

Barnes scored a season-high 26 points to help North Carolina beat Texas, 82-63, for its fifth straight win. The Tar Heels (11-2) avenged last season’s last-second loss to the Longhorns in their last major nonconference game before opening Atlantic Coast Conference play against Boston College on Jan. 7.

“We usually have lapses and things of that nature,” said John Henson, who added 14 points for UNC. “We had a few, but if we can play at that type of level all season, I think we’ll be fine.”

The Tar Heels were ready this time. They went on a 13-1 run to build a double-digit lead midway through the first half and never looked back, turning a 39-23 halftime lead into a 24-point margin late in the game.

“We were more aggressive, we were alert, we didn’t miss 27 free throws or whatever it was,” Williams said. “I think we were better in every phase of the game, and I expected that.”

Barnes was coming off two nine-point performances on 4-for-12 shooting each time. But the sophomore looked far more active and assertive against the Longhorns by attacking the rim or posting up on shorter defenders.